Steam ice-cutting device.



I. 'KR'UGER.

STEAM ICE CUTTING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. a0. 1918.

1 ,288,039, Patented Dec. 17, 1918.

a F1 5 Z IRA KRUGER, OF ABERDEEN, SOUTH DAKOTA.

STEAM ICE-CUTTING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 17, 1918.

Application filed September 30, 1918. Serial No. 256,345.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IRA KRUGER, a citizen of the United States, residing-at Aberdeen.

in the county of Brown, in the State of South Dakota, have invented a new, useful, and novel Steam Ice-Cutting Device to be l'sed in Ice-Houses stead of Using Saws for that Purpose.

The bottom and lower layers of ice in large ice-houses are usually frozen solidly together thus necessitating the'slow, difficult, and expensive process of hand-sawing to separate the cakes or blocks of ice so they can be removed. This method in addition to being slow, difficult, and expensive is also very wasteful. In order to expedite this process of separating the blocks of ice, and to conserve economy and prevent waste, I have invented a steaming device to be used instead of a saw. Said device is illustrated in the accompanylng drawings wherein similar letters refer to similar parts in the several figures, and wherein Figure 1 is a vertical side-view of the entire device in the position of cutting a groove into a block of ice 10 w.

Fig. 2 is a vertical, longitudinal section through the steam-chamber or steam-tube. Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section through the steam-tube (a) along the dotted line 3-3 of Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 is a front view of the forward end of the steam-tube (a).

The dimensions shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are substantially such as would be used in the making of the device, though the form and size of the steam-tube (a), and the size and arrangement of the braces (f f), and of the handle (7), and of the steam-connections (s and t) are not of the essence of this invention and can be varied in size and design to suit the conditions of use.

In Fig. 1 thesteam ice-cutting or thawing tube is shown at (a). To the rear end thereof is suitably attached a steam pipe (1) which is, in turn, suitably connected to a steam-hose (s) which connects with a steam A valve (4;) is suitably placed on the steamline so the steam can be readily turned on or off by the operator. Suitable braces (7 7) are attached to the steam pipe Z) and to the steam-tube (a) to render the device rigid and to permit of its proper control by the operator from a handle (Z).

for Cutting the Ice' In- In Fig. :2 (a) shows the steam-chamber or steam-tube within which is the steam-chamber (2).. (This steam-tube may be of any suitable form or size or length but a cast metal tube of the form and size shown gives the best results.) At the rear end is a suitable connection (cZ) for the attachment of the steam pipe (t) shown in Fig. 1. At the front end is a clean-out hole closed by a bolt (h) and a small vent-hole (i) through which a forward-operating steam jet ('8") is expelled. Serially spaced along the bottom of the steam-tube (a) are a multiplicity of projections or teeth (6) (preferably of triangular section as shown) which serves to hold the lower surface of the steam-tube (a) a little above the surface of the ice so that the steam jets (s s) can operate upon the ice most effectively. The rear surfaces of said projections (b) serve the purpose of scrapers to gather the sawdust (D) in the bottom of the groove and draw it therefrom as the thawing device is drawn outwardly along the groove, thus cleaning the groove for the more rapid action of the steam upon the surface of the ice.

Through the bottom of the steam-tube (a), and serially located teeth (1)) are a multiplicity of small holes (e which serve as vents or outlets for the steam in the chamber (2). These jets of live steam forced through these holes thaw a channel or'groove in the ice much more rapidly, and with much less expense, and with far less waste, than the ice could be cut with saws. On the top, and at each end of the steam-tube (a) may be formed bosses to which the braces (f) may be fastened by the bolts (0).

I am aware that prior to my invention steam jets have been used in many connections for thawing purposes and I therefore make no claim to that rinciple but only to its special applicationinthe manner and by means of the device above described, namely, as a means of cutting ice in an ice-house in lieu of ice saws which have thus far been used.

Having thus described my inventionwhat I claim as new, novel, and useful, on which I desire Letters Patent is,-

In an ice-cutting device the combination of a hollow steam-tube or chamber suitably between the projecting I I i I $1,288,039

bra c'e d'and connected with a .steam pipe the'steam-tube, serially spaced between the through Which steam is supplied to the tube; projecting teeth to serveas vents for the a multiplicity of projectnf teeth, serially jets of steam from the steam-tube dlrected 1 spaced along the bottom 0 he steam-tube, upon the surface of the ice for the purpose 5 to hold the tube above the surface of. the ice of cutting a groove in the ice by thawing and to serve as sawdust scrapers; .and a the same, substantilly as described. multiplicity of holes through the bottom of o IRA KRUGER. 

